The NBA is arguably in the finest era of star power the league has ever seen. With players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and many more making a sizable impact on the popularity of the sport, the NBA brings an intense level of interest during the regular season, playoffs and drama-filled offseason.

But once those superstars are gone, who will fill the void? Don't worry. There are plenty of up-and-comers around the NBA ready to take the next step.

Ahead of the 2017-18 season, Sporting News ranked the top 25 players under 25 years old. We put slightly more weight on future outlook but factored in each player's current status and resume. Obviously every NBA fan will agree with the entire list and not debate these rankings at all.

(All of the wrong placements are from @jordangreer42, and all of the correct placements are from @SeanDeveney. Feel free to holler at them. Each player's experience listed below indicates the season they are entering for 2017-18.)

25. Jayson Tatum, Celtics

Experience: Rookie, 19 years old

Why he's here: The No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft finished his only season at Duke with averages of 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He's a smooth, polished scorer who should only improve as he learns the nuances of the NBA game. He will have to raise the level of his defense and playmaking, but Brad Stevens and the Celtics coaching staff should be able to help.

24. Zach LaVine, Bulls

Experience: Fourth season, 22 years old

Why he's here: LaVine averaged a career-high 18.9 points per game on 45.9 percent shooting (38.7 percent from 3-point range) in his third season with the Timberwolves. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by a torn ACL. Can he fully recover and become his old, springy self? That's the big question.

23. Andre Drummond, Pistons

Experience: Fifth season, 24 years old

Why he's here: In a previous NBA life, Drummond would have thrived. A big man who can routinely post a double-double with a shooting percentage between 50-55? Love him! But there are questions about his commitment on defense, the lack of improvement in his post game and his atrocious free throw shooting. Still, Drummond is only one season removed from his first All-Star campaign.

22. Markelle Fultz, Sixers

Experience: Rookie, 19 years old

Why he's here: Fultz was the consensus No. 1 pick coming out of Washington as an offensive threat at every level. Despite his immense talent and production in college (23.2 points, 5.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds per game), there are already concerns about Fultz in regards to his shooting form and place in Brett Brown's rotation. He's not off to a great start, but Fultz has plenty of time to prove he was worthy of his draft spot.

21. D'Angelo Russell, Nets

Experience: Third season, 21 years old

Why he's here: Russell escaped the bright lights of LA after the Lakers sent Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Nets in June. While many still know Russell for his video incident with Nick Young, it's clear he has serious skills on the hardwood. Russell averaged 19.6 points, 6.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds per 36 minutes in 2016-17, and the Nets are hoping Kenny Atkinson can unleash his full potential.

20. Jusuf Nurkic, Trail Blazers

Experience: Fourth season, 23 years old

Why he's here: "The Bosnian Beast" took advantage of a fresh opportunity in Portland, posting 15.2 points and 10.4 rebounds over 20 games with the Trail Blazers. He has been somewhat injury prone throughout his career, and there are attitude concerns, but Nurkic looks like a changed man. He's in shape coming off an injury and a legitimate candidate to win Most Improved Player this season.

19. Otto Porter, Wizards

Experience: Fifth season, 24 years old

Why he's here: Porter has increased his points per game, overall field goal percentage and 3-point shooting percentage in each of his first four seasons. The Wizards gambled on him by making him a $100 million man and keeping a core of Porter, John Wall and Bradley Beal together. If Porter keeps improving and spacing the floor for those star guards (Porter was in the 97.0 percentile last season as a spot-up shooter) while defending wings on the other end, he will make Washington feel better about signing those checks.

18. Steven Adams, Thunder

Experience: Fifth season, 24 years old

Why he's here: The big man out of Pitt won't have a 30-point game that will blow fans away, but he just does the little things well. He was among the top 15 players in contested shots per game last season (12.6) and the top 20 in screen assists per game (3.4). Adams only averaged 7.7 rebounds last season, but he cleared the way for Russell Westbrook to snatch boards and push the pace.

Adams is a strong defender with size and mobility, and he has slowly added an in-between floater game when he can't get all the way to the basket on offense. It's hard to say how much higher his ceiling is, but Adams is a guy who helps you win.

17. Clint Capela, Rockets

Experience: Fourth season, 23 years old

Why he's here: The former first-rounder is only scratching the surface of what he can do. A capable rim protector, Capela has formed a strong bond with James Harden as the pick-and-roll man, putting up 1.14 points per possession in such situations last season. Guess who Houston added this offseason? Someone named Chris Paul who might know something about throwing alley-oops to big men.

16. Lonzo Ball, Lakers

Experience: Rookie, 19 years old

Why he's here: Strip away LaVar Ball, Big Baller Brand and any other drama surrounding the No. 2 overall pick, and what do you have? A kid who wants to play ball and win. At his core, Ball is simply a point guard who makes everything easier for those around him. Ball set an NBA Summer League record by averaging 9.3 assists per game, and while those contests were not anywhere near NBA competition, those flashes were more than enough to excite Lakers fans ahead of what should be a difficult season.

There are fair questions about Ball's defense and athleticism, but he should have plenty of time to figure it all out. Just don't ask his dad about it.

15. Rodney Hood, Jazz

Experience: Fourth season, 24 years old

Why he's here: Hood just made the cut (his birthday is Oct. 20), but he could be one of the most intriguing up-and-comers on this list. Hood will have a bigger role in the offense with Gordon Hayward gone, and there is reason for optimism. As The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor notes, per-36 numbers are right in line with what Hayward gave the Jazz. Hood has fought through injury problems and consistency. This is his chance to truly show what he can do.

14. Gary Harris, Nuggets

Experience: Fourth season, 23 years old

Why he's here: Harris has become a solid all-around player. He has meshed quickly with Nikola Jokic and benefitted from Jokic's innate passing ability. At 1.39 points per possession on cuts and 1.21 points per possession on spot-ups, Harris doesn't need to eat up possessions for a top-five offense. He also routinely guards the opposing team's strongest guard or wing, a tough task given Denver's team defense is fairly weak. The Nuggets made a smart move this offseason by locking in Harris for another four years.

13. Jaylen Brown, Celtics

Experience: Second season, 20 years old

Why he's here: Brown gained valuable experience in his rookie season, playing 17.2 minutes per game for the No. 1 seed in the East. He had a net rating of plus-3.1 in wins and minus-10.6 in losses, and he performed significantly better with the starting unit. Of course, better numbers with better players is no surprise, but Brown always had the look of someone who belonged on the floor. He refused to back down from anyone on either end and earned his starting job this year. The Celtics will count on him to make a leap in his sophomore season.

12. Jabari Parker, Bucks

Experience: Fourth season, 22 years old

Why he's here: Scouts knew no matter what weaknesses Parker had as a player coming into the league, he could do one thing - score. Parker went from 12.3 to 14.1 to 20.1 points per game over his first three seasons and saw a huge increase in his 3-point attempts and efficiency this past season. The biggest roadblock to success for Parker is health. He has torn his left ACL twice since entering the league. Parker at 100 percent next to Giannis Antetokounmpo could make the Bucks a dangerous sleeper in the East.

11. Andrew Wiggins, Timberwolves

Experience: Fourth season, 22 years old

Why he's here: Wiggins is quite possibly the most controversial figure on this list. He can clearly score the ball, and he's reliable, starting and playing in 245 games over his first three seasons. However, he doesn't create much for others, he has a curious role on his current team and he's poor defensively to say the least. FiveThirtyEight even graded him as the least impactful defender in the league, which might be a bit harsh. He gets lost off the ball constantly, though, and sometimes just doesn't give much effort.

That five-year, $146.5 million extension Wiggins just signed could be a catastrophe or a smart move by the Timberwolves if Wiggins lives up to his potential. It's on him to determine how it ends.

10. Ben Simmons, Sixers

Experience: Rookie, 21 years old

Why he's here: After a foot injury derailed what would have been his true rookie year, Simmons is ready to get back on the floor and hit his teammates all over the floor with pinpoint passes. His preternatural ability to see ahead and read the play already places him among the best passers in the league.

Simmons averaged 15.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists in five preseason games, a small sample size that isn't indicative of how he will handle real NBA competition. Simmons will have to adjust defensively and still needs to fix his shot, but he did enough in those five games to get Philly fans excited.

9. Bradley Beal, Wizards

Experience: Sixth season, 24 years old

Why he's here: A veteran in this group, Beal is an indispensable part of the Wizards' game plan along with All-Star point guard John Wall. As CBS Sports' Chris Barnewall noted in his Wizards preview, Washington scored 112.9 points per 100 possessions when Beal and Wall shared the court, but only 101.2 points per 100 possessions with them off.

Beal just gets buckets, and he isn't afraid of the big moment. He dropped 33 points on the Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and poured in 38 points in a Game 7 loss. He should get his first All-Star nod in 2018 if he stays on his current path.

8. Devin Booker, Suns

Experience: Third season, 20 years old

Why he's here: Booker averaged 22.1 points per game in 2016-17, and he couldn't even legally drink in the United States while he was doing it. He put up 42.3/36.3/83.2 shooting splits as well, and those numbers should improve as he finds his spots and becomes more comfortable with his game. After his 70-point outburst against the Celtics last season, Suns games are basically an excuse to see what Booker can do. He has a very high ceiling at this point.

7. Myles Turner, Pacers

Experience: Third season, 21 years old

Why he's here: While Turner isn't quite on the same level as the unicorns above him on this list, he will have as big of an opportunity as anyone to showcase his skill this season. Turner started all 81 games in which he played in 2016-17, averaging 14.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting a respectable percentage from 3-point range (34.8 percent) on a more consistent basis (0.2 to 1.4 3-point attempts per game from first to second season). Turner has the potential to become a defensive anchor as well and a strong rim protector.

Paul George's departure left a sizable gap on Indiana's roster in terms of production, leadership and star power. We'll see if Turner can eventually fill that spot.

6. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets

Experience: Third season, 22 years old

Why he's here: Jokic is one of the most unique players in the NBA. He doesn't have exceptional speed or athleticism, yet he is the centerpiece of a Nuggets offense which finished in the top-five in offensive efficiency behind only the Clippers, Cavs, Rockets and Warriors. That was largely a product of Denver players feeding off Jokic's incredible passing and vision, as the Nuggets went from averaging 114.9 points per 100 possessions with Jokic on the floor to 104.7 points points per 100 possessions with the big man on the bench last season.

Offseason acquisition Paul Millsap should be able to cover some of Jokic's deficiencies on defense, and "The Joker" should naturally improve on that end by focusing on positioning and rotations. Expect another leap from him with a full season of starting minutes.

5. Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks

Experience: Third season, 22 years old

Why he's here: With everything Porzingis has been forced to handle in New York, it feels like he's been in the league for a significant amount of time. With Carmelo Anthony in OKC, the Knicks have quickly become Porzingis' team.

The ceiling couldn't be higher for Porzingis. He became the first player in NBA history to make at least 175 threes and block 175 shots in fewer than 140 career games last season and averaged 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. It's possible Porzingis transforms into a Dirk Nowitzki upgrade with more athleticism, defensive range and a nasty pull-up jumper off the dribble, but the toughest thing to answer here is how the Knicks handle him. This dysfunctional franchise cannot waste a golden opportunity.

4. Joel Embiid, Sixers

Experience: Second season, 23 years old

Why he's here: If Embiid didn't have the obvious injury issues, he could very well be the top player on this list. The Sixers have already paid him like a superstar, giving Embiid a five-year, $148 million extension (though Philly does have some protections in the event of another injury). Despite playing only 31 games last season, Embiid had such a huge impact some awards voters argued he should still be Rookie of the Year. The Sixers had a net rating of plus-3.2 with Embiid on the floor and minus-7.9 with him off, essentially the difference between the Celtics and Lakers last season. His per-36 numbers are outrageous: 28.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals on 46.6 percent shooting (36.7 percent from 3-point range).

He doesn't turn 22 until November, and yet he has a chance to master his offensive game and reach a 50-40-90 shooting season in the not-so-distant future. He took a step back defensively, finishing dead last among centers in ESPN's Defensive Real Plus-Minus, but Tom Thibodeau should be able to max out Towns on that end with help from Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks

Experience: Fifth season, 22 years old

Why he's here: Never has there been a more appropriate nickname than "The Greek Freak." Antetokounmpo's measurements defy logic, and he's figured out how to utilize his Stretch Armstrong-like body to terrorize opponents. He earned his first All-Star nod last season, averaging 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals. Kevin Durant recently called him his favorite player to watch and said he could possibly go down as the best player of all time. That's high praise coming from a former MVP and NBA champion.

Can Antetokounmpo make another leap and elevate the Bucks to the upper tier in the East? That's his next challenge.

1. Anthony Davis, Pelicans

Experience: Sixth season, 24 years old

Why he's here: Antetokounmpo, Towns or Embiid will eclipse Davis once he moves out of this age bracket, but for now, the top spot still belongs to the Pelicans forward. Here's his ho-hum fifth season in the league: career-high 28.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.3 steals on 50.5 percent shooting. Davis also finished second among power forwards in ESPN's Defensive Real Plus-Minus behind only Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green, and opponent shooting percentages dropped dramatically with him as the primary defender.

Davis will have to adjust next to DeMarcus Cousins, and that might cause his numbers to fall. But as of this moment, he is the cream of the under-25 crop.